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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28033521">Erosion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhans/pseuds/onlyhans'>onlyhans</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>тoмorrow : oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Did u hear that, Given vibes, Hyunjin said wear a mask!!, It's up to you really, M/M, Minho Ships It, Rated T for swearing, Slice of Life, So are Hyunjin and Chan, Song Lyrics, We Die Like Women, changbin is either dead or a dick, fuyunohanashi is my song ong, not edited, not explicitly stated in here but someone in the band pushed minho offstage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:40:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28033521</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhans/pseuds/onlyhans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʏ ᴏғ ᴀ ɢᴜɪᴛᴀʀ<br/>ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴇᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ<br/>ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʏ ᴄᴀɴ ᴅᴏ</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bang Chan/Hwang Hyunjin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>тoмorrow : oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Erosion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am slightly outraged by the lack of wholesome hyunchan fics,, my babies deserve more than just being the stars of hornee fantasies so I gift you with the band au no one asked for ft. my slight obsession with Pigeon by Cavetown</p>
<p>Ps. I did not edit this so sorry if it sucks 😃</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Circling around the kitchen,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why has nothing changed?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The strap holding his guitar tight against his back dug into Hyunjin's shoulder, causing him to wince as he kept walking. Only he would have the luck to be walking down the dampened streets, alone, on a night after a gig. Hey, it's not like he begged someone to send the drizzling rain. Maybe his misery had somehow subconsciously extended to mother nature, as the grey sky reflected his current mood almost perfectly. Every footstep made a shallow splash that faded into the white noise filling Hyunjin's head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm home," he murmured half to himself as he stepped through the door of the small apartment, unsure if anyone else was home to hear. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin let out a sigh and padded into the darkened kitchen -- Chan, in fact, had not come home yet, despite being at the exact same performance as him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Less time to spend with you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Hyunjin's brain supplied. He hated that it probably wasn't far from the truth.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He grabbed a glass from the counter, not even bothering to flick on the lights. Water from the tap only tasted good in the dark, when its slight tang matched the one in his heart. Hyunjin downed a few gulps before it started to feel sour on his tongue; it reminded him of the time before they had a water filter, or even their own place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Things were simpler then. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The door creaked open, and Hyunjin met Chan's tired eyes as he entered the apartment. He watched as Chan propped his own case up against the wall and unzipped his coat, throwing it down on the chair. Hyunjin couldn't help but feel a prick of annoyance. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don't put the wet coat on the goddamn</span>
  </em>
  <span>—</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pressed his lips together in a tight smile and cleared his throat. Chan, who had fallen down onto the couch in exhaustion, blinked rapidly and tilted his head in the direction of the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm going to bed, so should I wait up or nah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan glanced away. "No, I think I'm just gonna crash here for tonight, thank you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Great.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hyunjin turned away, trying desperately not to show emotion as he whisked past his boyfriend and into the bathroom down the hall. The door closed behind him with the slightest hint of a slam, and Hyunjin grit his teeth at how easy it was to imagine Chan wincing at the sound. He braced himself against the sink, glaring himself down through all the obnoxious stage makeup. At least it covered his dark undereye bags. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Truth be told, Chan hadn't slept in their shared room consistently in quite a while. Being an insomniac had its perks, and an easy excuse just happened to be one of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin smiled at himself in the mirror, humorless. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, how the mighty have fallen.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"On a scale of one to ten, how good is this?" Chan asked languidly, smiling over at Hyunjin before plucking out a chord. He continued on, until the low notes began to form something resembling a song, or at least part of it. Warmth spread from the tips of Chan's ears as Hyunjin kept staring at him, unblinking. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" Chan asked, eyes fixated on the placement of his fingers. He smirked sheepishly as if to show the stare had no affect on him; as if he wasn't currently refusing to meet Hyunjin's eyes. "That bad?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No, actually," Hyunjin muttered, shifting so that he could stand up and move closer to Chan. He dropped down onto the couch beside him and brought his knees up to his chest. "I like it—" he made eye contact with Chan. "I like it a lot."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan swallowed and looked away, seemingly transfixed by his strings once again. Hyunjin scowled, and promptly shoved his bare foot beneath his friend's butt. Chan let out a yelp and glared over at Hyunjin. A wicked grin started forming on his face, though, and there was little he could do to hide it. "What? My mootsie tootsies were cold."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The two stared at each other for a while, and Hyunjin had to bite his lip to prevent giggles from escaping. That caused a chain reaction, because a moment later, Chan burst out laughing. He lifted the bass strap from over his shoulders and set it aside. By the time his eyes reached Hyunjin's again, the room had become a lot quieter. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Wanna watch a movie?" Hyunjin whispered, cracking the sudden tension. Chan grinned over at him and reached for his laptop as Hyunjin scooched closer. Neither of them said a word as Chan shifted so Hyunjin could rest comfortably between him and the back of the couch. Hyunjin didn't mention the speed at which Chan's heart was racing as he wrapped an arm around him to reach his laptop. Chan didn't look like he was going to bring attention to the fact that Hyunjin clearly pressed himself closer than was necessary.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What movie?" Chan asked in a hushed voice. With the close proximity, Hyunjin could feel his warm breath on the shell of his ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Uhhh," he grasped at straws, trying to think of something, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> other than </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chan</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "Spirited Away?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan </span>
  <em>
    <span>laughed</span>
  </em>
  <span>, soft and airy, and Hyunjin couldn't help but pout. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What?" He whined, leaning his head back on Chan's shoulder to look at him. That might have very well been a mistake, because Chan didn't miss a beat before glancing down at him -- his breath caught in his throat. The angle made it so Chan's rare double chin made an appearance, but it didn't matter to Hyunjin. If anything, it was all that more endearing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing," Chan murmured, returning to typing like nothing just happened. "S'cute, that's all."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've known I'm cute, Channie," Hyunjin forced out after a few panicked milliseconds. "And my taste in movies is immaculate."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We've seen this before, at least—"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Shhhhh." Hyunjin closed his eyes and snuggled closer to Chan. "It's majestical."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Majestical?" Chan asked, voice laiden with barely concealed fondness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Majestical. Good vibe movie."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're so tired," Chan said, moving his hand from the place it had been slung around Hyunjin's shoulder, and instead began to gently play with his hair as the movie began. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah," Hyunjin said through a yawn, eyes closing for longer than he would like. He wanted to remember this. "Have a chem test Monday."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Aww poorest baby," Chan cooed, probably a little jokingly. A strange notion had been boiling beneath the surface for a few moments already, and Hyunjin had reached the point of sleepy where there was no more rational thinking.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He scrambled up a little so he could turn to face Chan. Chan seemed a little surprised, but watched him with warm eyes. Hyunjin whined and punched his upper chest muscles with light fists. "It's not fairrrrr."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's not fair?" A grin spread across Chan's features.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wanna kiss you so fucking bad right now," Hyunjin mumbled, watching through bleary eyes as Chan sat up a little bit. "but like, I don't know if you're over him yet and I don't want to ruin our friendship…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"So why are you telling me this now?" Chan asked, a slight twinkle of challenge in his eye. "Instead of just doing it?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>\\\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Chipping nail varnish on guitar strings</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin awoke the next morning reaching for someone that wasn't there. He drew the arm back to him and rolled onto his other side, trying desperately not to think about how cold the bed felt, all alone between its sheets. It took a few minutes for him to gather the mental strength to swing his legs over the side of the mattress and drop to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>When he finally did leave the bedroom, it was to be greeted by an equally as empty flat. Completely neglecting his usual morning routine, Hyunjin stumbled into the kitchen, bedhead and all. At that point, coffee with too much creamer was the only goal in mind. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He had mixed feelings about the keurig, though. It was too simple compared to what Hyunjin had grown up with, and oftentimes left him gazing into the depths of the water container, blatantly overthinking. Like now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Where is he?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hyunjin hated the worry that welled up inside him. Even after Chan had grown distant in their relationship, Hyunjin couldn't just let him go. If breaking them up ultimately made Chan happy, he would accept it -- but Chan would have to man up and say it to his face. And the band. Hyunjin swallowed. An awful feeling coated his throat, and he couldn't be sure if it was guilt or sorrow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The idea of dating within a band was taboo. By the time Hyunjin even raised the prospect of starting a band among their friends, he and Chan had already been together for several months. Seungmin and Jisung, like everyone else, must have thought they would last forever. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He never told anyone, but Hyunjin had hoped the same. Sometimes he couldn't go back to sleep, and stayed tracing absentminded shapes onto the place where Chan's shirt rode up. He would cuddle into his boyfriend and feel as the steady thrum of his heart lulled him back to sleep. It was within times like those that Hyunjin knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Chan. Hyunjin missed that. He missed </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin pressed the button for his coffee size and slid a mug beneath the spout with a sigh. He turned around, coffee in hand, to face the empty lounge area. His guitar still lay where he'd left it the previous night, discarded against the lounge chair. Hyunjin moved around the counter, warily approaching the place that had clearly become Chan's bedroom. He set his mug on the coffee table with a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and gaze fell over to where Chan left his acoustic. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He never really touched it anymore, but that could have something to do with his responsibilities in the band. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hyunjin</span>
  </em>
  <span> had guitar duties. And Chan played bass, and sometimes covered for Minho on the drums when Jisung wanted to switch it up a bit. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin walked over there and lifted the gorgeous acoustic, almost reverent. He carried it over with him to the couch. Something crumpled beneath him as Hyunjin sat down, and he shifted his weight.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was a note.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Heya Jin,</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice automatically filled Hyunjin's head.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm going out with the guys for a bit today, don't worry. I know you like to sleep in, so I didn't bother saying bye.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sure, that was the reason.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We don't have anything in the fridge, really. But that's typical before a tour lolz</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Love, Channie</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin gave into a smile. Love. At least there was that. He set aside the note and smoothed a hand over Chan's pillow briefly before reaching for his coffee. At least he felt somewhat less dead.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The guitar was practically begging for his attention. As much as Hyunjin wanted to play it in the past, it always scared him, how important it seemed to Chan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin scrambled over to his case for his tuner, and settled back amongst the sheets on Chan's makeshift bed. He pulled the strings hesitantly. All those years with the band had certainly made him more familiar with electric, but he still knew his way around acoustic pretty well. Hyunjin played around with the tightness of the strings until it started to sound </span>
  <em>
    <span>rich</span>
  </em>
  <span>, like a guitar should.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He strummed out a chord easily, letting out a soft exhale when it resonated within instead of around him, like the electric one he'd come to know so well. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin tried another chord, brows furrowed in concentration. By the time he set the guitar down, the sun had already started to sink in the sky, and his fingertips were burning and sore. He fell back against the couch and exhaled.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan hadn't come back yet.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Whatcha got there, hm?" Chan asked, hovering over Hyunjin's shoulder. He aggressively got some keys on his laptop and let out a borderline growl.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fuckin' Advanced Lit," Hyunjin said, glaring darkly down at the word document. He glanced up at Chan, and something shifted when he saw the way Chan was frowning down at the prompt. "I don't even know why I took this course. It's not like I plan on.. I don't know. What even is this used for?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan chuckled and smoothed his hair back. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Hyunjin's forehead. Hyunjin closed his eyes. It was blissful relief from the torture that was that paper.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How'd you know I had a headache?" Hyunjin asked once Chan moved away, suspicious. His boyfriend turned on the water in the kitchen and started clanking around a bit -- Hyunjin's head turned towards him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I had a feeling, somehow."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Noooo now I wanna know." </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan made his way back to the table and slid into the seat beside him, glass of water in hand. He passed it to Hyunjin with a smile and slight narrowed eyes to indicate he didn't have a choice in drinking it or not. "Okay, well," he started, his calloused fingers drumming against his thigh. "Whenever your head hurts, you get this little crease on your forehead."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin gasped.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan nodded solemnly. "I hate that little crease."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because," Chan gave him a sheepish smile, dimples flickering into view for only a moment. "It means you're in pain, idiot."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>\\\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Got a pillowcase made out of money</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan hadn't come home the previous night.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He always was horrible at sneaking around. The clumsy shit would knock into at least ten things before making it to the couch, especially in the dark. So Hyunjin knew he didn't come home.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They only had less than a week until they'd be flying to Europe for the beginning of tour, and Hyunjin was spending it moping around. He eventually forced himself out of bed and into something resembling an outfit his stylist would approve of, throwing on a beanie to cover up his messy hair. Truth be told, their band wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>unknown</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Hyunjin pulled a black mask over his face as he walked, wallet weighing heavy in his small leather backpack. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For someone who didn't try that hard at anything in life, Hyunjin sure had a lot of benefits. He wasn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>rich</span>
  </em>
  <span>, per say, but he and Chan were definitely well off. As the "face" of the group, Hyunjin was probably the most well-known of the members. Thinking of it made him sigh wearily beneath the mask. His glasses fogged up, and Hyunjin didn't bother wiping it away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>What was he even doing with his life?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This should be the beginning of his career, as well as the best years of his life -- and yet, he couldn't enjoy it like he would have, because someone he cared about was clearly suffering. Even worse, Chan refused to come to Hyunjin with his problems.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin walked into the grocery store a little more angered than intended, and grabbed the cart nearest to him. He was blinded by a mix of grocery shopping numbness and fury at how his life had turned out, so much so that he didn't notice the rack right in front of his cart. Hyunjin mumbled curses as he bumped into the shelves and had to back up.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He quickly turned into that isle in order to get away from the piercing stares of middle aged ladies. Hyunjin stopped short when he saw who was hesitating in front of the honeynut cheerios.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Chan?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His head snapped over, and he looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>exhausted</span>
  </em>
  <span>. A bag hung over his shoulder, presumably for throwing groceries in. He dropped his head guiltily upon meeting Hyunjin's eyes, and Hyunjin tsked. Something in him ached, seeing Chan like this. He strode over to his boyfriend, grabbed a box of cheerios, and yanked up the mask from where it had settled beneath his chin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You dummy," he muttered, "you can't go around wearing it like that— you'll be recognized. Plus it's flu season."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan blinked at him and smiled tersely. He looked even worse up close. Dark circles weighed down his once-youthful face, and his hair hadn't been washed in days. Hyunjin took a deep breath and lead him back towards his cart. Without looking at him, they kept walking, more or less side by side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Did you even sleep at all last night?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan let out a sigh. "Yeah. I guess I did. Not well, though, as I'm sure you're already aware," he shot a poor attempt at a smirk at Hyunjin. "You </span>
  <em>
    <span>were</span>
  </em>
  <span> checking me out in the middle of the cereal section."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nonsense."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You were," Chan insisted, voice going up in pitch as he teased Hyunjin. Hyunjin himself had to fight to keep his face neutral. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you say we both go home after this and take a nap, hm?" Hyunjin suggested, though his heart was practically leaping out of his ribcage with nerves. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan cracked a small smile. "I'd like that."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, Jin?" Chan called, the door swinging open as he entered the dorm. Despite what one might think, with the way he waltzed in all the time that they were roommates. They were not. Chan had a friendship with the RA, meaning he got a get out of jail free card and could basically go wherever he wanted. He just happened to spend most of the time at Hyunjin's. "Do you think you could give my project a listen it's a bit—"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He paused, blinking down at Hyunjin. "Is that my shirt?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin glanced down at himself as well. Oh, so it was Chan's. One of his favorite Queen shirts, if Hyunjin could remember correctly. He shrugged, sheepish. "I— yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You look good in it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you," Hyunjin said through a half smile, warmed by the interaction. Although they'd gone on a few dates already, he wasn't sure where he and Chan stood in terms of relationship. "So you were saying about some song?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, yeah." Chan ruffled the top of his hair and stifled a yawn, holding out his phone towards Hyunjin. "It's a mix I came up with…" there was an unspoken </span>
  <em>
    <span>last night</span>
  </em>
  <span> hanging in the air, and Hyunjin frowned up at him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Instead of sleeping?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nevermind that," Chan said, eyes wide and face displaying a kind of vulnerability that Hyunjin wasn't a stranger to. Not too many people got to see him like this. Hyunjin pulled his gaze away from Chan's face and down to his phone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well.. alright. I can give it a listen." Hyunjin stuck his own earbuds in, saving Chan the embarrassment of listening to his own work in the presence of someone reacting to it. Hyunjin's mouth went dry. It was a whole composition. He glanced up at Chan, eyes narrowed. "When did you have time to do all this?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest as if protectively hugging someone. "I wanted to."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"But you've been spending so much time with </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> lately, I—" guilt had started to sink in. Hyunjin didn't think twice before voicing it, more worried about Chan than anything. He shook his head, turning up the volume on the phone. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Like professional level good. "This is amazing, Channie," Hyunjin murmured. Chan glanced up at the praise, and for a moment the brightness of his smile outweighed the exhaustion displayed on the rest of his features.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan tackled him on the bed, knocking him over so that he could drape over Hyunjin like a sleepy, weighted blanket. He hummed into the junction of Hyunjin's shoulder and neck, whispering something against the skin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hm?" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nothing," Chan whispered, and it sounded like a cold rush of wind through tree leaves. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>\\\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Feelin pretty fake when I wake up</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The lingering heat in Hyunjin's bed the following day made it almost easy to ignore the fact that once again, Chan had left him. Hyunjin didn't bother getting up. He just curled in on himself beneath the duvet, squeezing his eyes shut like that would make a difference in the situation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And then the shower came on; he could hear it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin pushed himself up almost immediately, hopeful. Still half asleep, Hyunjin forced himself out of bed and shuffled to the bedroom doorway. Across the narrow hall stood the door to the bathroom. He walked up to it and reached for the handle, hand hovering there for what seemed to be ages. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn't know what was stopping him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin shook his head and backed away, turning to sink back into his side of the bed. He heard the shower squeal to a stop. Chan padded into the bedroom a while later, and Hyunjin didn't do anything. He lay still, zoned out and facing the opposite wall. A numbness he hadn't felt in a long time had been creeping up on him until it grew to encase every part of his body. It rendered his limbs immobile and his heart heavy.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Only when Chan neared Hyunjin's side of the bed did he find the strength to snap his eyes closed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey," Chan uttered softly, bracing himself on the edge of the mattress to lean over Hyunjin. He began pressing gentle kisses up the side of his face, lingering over his mouth for a second to say, "It's time to wake up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin opened his eyes easily, but didn't look at Chan. Instead, he whipped out his phone to see the time. </span>
  <em>
    <span>6:50</span>
  </em>
  <span> AM. His eyes wandered up to Chan's, and then he rolled over onto his other side. Chan let out a small sigh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't sleep anymore, Jin."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice was tiny, and there was a thinly veiled plead in it, and normally Hyunjin would pull him into his lap for hair pats. But he didn't.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I wanted to spend time with you…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>For a change</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hyunjin…"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He knew he should be accepting Chan with open arms, but he really just wanted to forget about existence. It was too early to be up; too early to face the problems of their relationship. He could feel Chan's gaze burning into him a second longer, and then the door closed with a soft </span>
  <em>
    <span>click</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin felt like shit.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"We should make something this weekend," Hyunjin murmured against Chan's arm in between soft kisses. They were laying on the couch, Hyunjin wrapped around Chan like a very clingy, hundred and forty-three pound koala. Chan hummed and rubbed his back absentmindedly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rain pattered against the window, and the dim but warm light provided by Chan's desk light made for an overall lazy feel. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn't had a day like this in months. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Between practicing their own instruments and studying for exams, spare time to spend together had become rare. It was lucky that Chan had chosen to stay on campus for the break between semesters, honestly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What should we make?" Chan hushed, warm breath ruffling Hyunjin's hair. He let out a soft exhale and shifted his head so that he could better see Chan, slight double chin from the angle and all. Given how stressed they'd been over the blast few weeks, Chan had neglected to shave. Hyunjin reached a finger out and gently brushed over the peach fuzz. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan made a small noise of disapproval, and Hyunjin smiled. "I'm thinking pie."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds good to me," Chan said through a stretch. Hyunjin screeched, clinging impossibly closer. Chan's arms came up to wrap around his back and he sat up, burying his face in Hyunjin's chest this time. He let out a long hum, and then spoke into the fabric of the shirt,  "Ask me anything."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Anything?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Anything."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Why do you have an acoustic if you don't use it?" Hyunjin played with the ends of his boyfriend's hair, eyes sliding closed almost reverently of the situation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Because," Chan sighed, and slumped even closer to Hyunjin. "Changbin's mother gave it to me. He used to want to learn to play."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Fuck," Hyunjin whispered, crossing his ankles around Chan's waist and tightening his grip in his curls. "I'm so sorry babe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's okay," Chan said with an earnest smile up at Hyunjin. "I don't mind anymore, honest. You should… you know how to play, right?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, but I wouldn't… Not if it bothers you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It doesn't." Chan said before nuzzling against Hyunjin's collarbone. He sighed. "you're more than enough. I wouldn't give myself to you if I wasn't sure I was over it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You're so sweet," Hyunjin murmured into Chan's soft hair. It smelled like his own shampoo, and Hyunjin grinned. "I'm so lucky, what the hell."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan laughed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin loved his laugh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Tell me more about this pie."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>\\\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Didn't give me time to say goodbye </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>in the way that I wanted to</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Three days to their flight, and Chan was gone from the apartment. Hyunjin hadn't seen him in a few days, but was sure he still lived in the apartment. Maybe he'd improved his ninja skills when Hyunjin hadn't been looking. Traces of his existence were left all over the place -- new cups of water by the sink that hadn't been there the previous night, or things like extra blankets on the couch when Hyunjin walked out the next morning. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Somewhere deep down, Hyunjin's heart ached. However, his face remained stony and numb.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That day, Minho texted him. He wanted to meet at a small restaurant not too far from his own apartment -- it made sense; he probably didn't want to travel all that far with a broken leg. Hyunjin agreed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>No one had spoken to Minho in a few weeks. Not since he discovered he couldn't attend the tour with -- </span>
  <em>
    <span>and because of</span>
  </em>
  <span> -- them. Hyunjin lazed around the apartment until evening rolled around, trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever his bandmate wanted to tell him. Just before leaving the apartment, Hyunjin caught sight of the acoustic. It was resting slightly further to the left than where he had left it last time, and Hyunjin paused. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Did Chan use it?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin almost smacked himself. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Chan's</span>
  </em>
  <span> guitar, of course he was allowed to touch it. A frustrated sigh passed his lips, and Hyunjin found himself walking over to where it lay. He scooped it into its case and slung it over his shoulder, heading out to meet Minho. The sound of someone singing met Hyunjin's ears as he pushed open the restaurant door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh, we have a friend joining us," Minho said, raising a brow at the guitar case Hyunjin swung off his shoulder as he lowered himself into the seat across from him. Hyunjin smiled sheepishly over at his bandmate, unable to explain why he'd brought the instrument.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah… um," Hyunjin blanked, nerves getting the better of him. For a while now, he'd barely left the apartment, too busy wallowing in self-pity over his failing relationship to bother trying to keep his ones with the rest of the band healthy. Hyunjin couldn't remember the last time he hung out with Seungmin outside of work, or extended any sort of invitation to Jisung. He finally settled on,  "How are you doing?" -- albeit a lame question, it was the only polite thing circling Hyunjin's mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minho snorted, casting his gaze aside as he reached for his drink. Hyunjin's eyes trailed down to the glass as Minho raised it to his lips. Definitely something alcoholic, though it was none of his business. "Cut the bullshit, Hwang."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What—"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I knew something was gonna happen soon, and I'm here to tell you to not fuck it up." Minho gulped the rest of the drink down and set it back to the table, ice clinking as he did so. "How's it with Chris lately?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin must have grimaced, because a moment later, Minho was chuckling. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah… how long have you two been together now? Two? Two'n a half years?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin nodded wearily. Minho had been Chan's friend for a long time before the band was even a thought, and he never really vibed well with Hyunjin. He just happened to have been playing the drums since middle school, and so Chan deemed him a natural fit for their budding group. It was never up to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Our beloved </span>
  <em>
    <span>Channie</span>
  </em>
  <span> thinks you're gonna leave him," Minho said with the confidence that people with broken legs usually lacked. Not that Hyunjin had been around many injured people before. He narrowed his eyes. Minho kept talking. "'Cause that's what Binnie dearest did nearing their third anniversary. We all know how unlucky Chris thinks he is."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As </span>
  <em>
    <span>off</span>
  </em>
  <span> as Minho always seemed to Hyunjin, those words shone with truth. Chan always had been hard on himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Applause rose up around them on every side, drowning out any attempt Hyunjin could make to speak. Someone cleared their throat at the mic in the corner of the place, and Hyunjin finally turned his head over in that direction. "It seems," a small, nervous man started talking, "that our next scheduled act has not arrived yet tonight, so if you could all just bear with us—"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minho raised his arm and whistled loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the small restaurant, including the man by the mic. It was only then that Hyunjin realized that his fellow bandmate's fingers were snapping </span>
  <em>
    <span>towards him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The nervous man took notice of the guitar by Hyunjin's feet and grinned, waving him over. Hyunjin glared daggers at Minho, standing up and pulling the guitar along with him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn't even gotten the chance to tune the damn thing yet that day.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey everyone," Hyunjin began, smiling softly our at the people in the restaurant. The lights shining directly on them dimmed their faces, but not enough to be unrecognizable. "My name is… Sam, and I guess I'll be your performer tonight." They laughed at his go-with-the-flow attitude, and Hyunjin smiled easily. Crowds always loved him, and he liked to return the affection.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled the guitar from its case in the rapt silence and sat back on the stool. Hyunjin pulled the mic towards him with the ease of experience, and began strumming the chords to the only song he'd recently practiced on this guitar. As he sang, flashes of the last few weeks played in his head. Chan never being there. Rediscovering the guitar Chan had once told him to play. The grocery store. Their life, slowly falling apart. Oddly fitting, wasn't it? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don't you wanna give me time to write.</span>
  </em>
  <span>.." A wave of serenity washed over him as he sang, and Hyunjin glanced up and around the audience. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Another song for you</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Maybe someone came in, maybe not. Hyunjin couldn't bring himself to care, anyway. This is what he missed. Being on stage. Being someone else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuzzy feelin and I miss you,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" Hyunjin continued on into the next verse immediately, fingers going through the motions as they had all his life. His eyelids slid shut, allowing himself to pour that much more emotion into his words. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why can nothing stay the same?</span>
  </em>
  <span>" He paused a moment longer than necessary  -- that curly head of hair looked sort of familiar. Hyunjin shook it off. His emotions and the lights were playing tricks on him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why would Chan show up now?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>—melt all your art and drink the paint</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Hyunjin would rather not risk his job in case this somehow got back around to his management, so he just skipped the line with swears. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I am not a beast I'm not a monster, I don't care what you say… you can't have bad guys without a hero,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" he glanced up, towards where the person with curly hair had been. Holy shit. That was by Minho's seat. He squinted in that direction. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>And I'm the only one who's got a cape.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Curly Hair was on the move.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Didn't give me time to say goodbye in the way that I wanted to—</span>
  </em>
  <span>" </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Curly Hair turned abruptly from his path to the door, facing Hyunjin dead on. Hyunjin's hand stuttered to a halt, plucking a few wrong strings as it went. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Channie.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His scowl was visible even though all the blinding lights. It was visible in Hyunjin's mind as he screwed his eyes shut. Even as the door swung shut, Hyunjin could still see that same scowl, burned into his mind.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>So honey close your eyes and stay, like you're supposed to do…</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He felt like crying. Hyunjin pretended the song ended there and practically ran off the tiny stage, completely ignoring the response from the audience. Minho's lips were pursed and eyes wide once Hyunjin got there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Minho," Hyunjin growled, slamming his hands on the table.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Well how was I supposed to know you were gonna sing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking break up song</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Minho let out a low whistle. "With his ex's guitar, too."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's not—" Hyunjin groaned, "Maybe, I don't know, give me some warning next time?" He shoved the guitar in its case and didn't bother waiting for an answer from Minho before sprinting outside. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was raining as he whipped his head from side to side, frantically searching for Chan's retreating figure. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How ironic.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>///</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It says here," Hyunjin said through giggles. Chan's arms encircled his waist, trying to sway back and forth to the tune of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer</span>
  </em>
  <span> that drifted up from his shitty old radio in the kitchen. Hyunjin's hips collided painfully with the counter, and he smacked Chan. "I'm trying to read the recipe!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's a premade crust," Chan said, fixing Hyunjin with a look of blatant amusement. "And canned apple filling. I'm pretty sure it ain't rocket science, babe."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin pouted. "Yeah but the… I want the crumble coat on the top."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan gave him a series of kisses, humming into his lips as if thinking it over. He tugged the recipe from Hyunjin's hands while he was distracted, earning another grumble. "All we have to do is mix brown sugar, oats, a lil bit of flour, and melted butter— this baking shit is easy, huh."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey!" Hyunjin snatched the papers back. "I'm just going easy on you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan bent slightly, and lifted Hyunjin onto the counter. An evil smirk occupied the place of his usually sweet smile. "Oh really?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"...yeah."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Still easy to bake up there?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin stuck out his tongue and middle finger playfully. "Fuck you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh," Chan raised his eyebrows in a challenging expression. "Bet."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Nooooo," Hyunjin scooted away on the counter when Chan approached, smiling uncontrollably the entire time. "I still want pie."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan stuck his lip out in an exaggerated pouty face, and Hyunjin rolled his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I've wanted pie for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>week</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I've wanted you for forever," Chan shot back.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin blinked. "Touché."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"How about," Chan said, lowering his voice the closer he got to Hyunjin. He pressed his palms against the counter on either side of Hyunjin and kissed him gently, pulling back to smile fondly at him and murmur, "we make pie, and then we </span>
  <em>
    <span>make pie</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin screeched and repeatedly smacked a cackling Chan.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>\\\</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't know how I'll live without,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>But I'll stay strong for you</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin burst into their apartment, soaking wet from the rain and shaking for other reasons. "Channie, please give me a chance to explain, I—" he wasn't there.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>In a panic, Hyunjin ran around the apartment in search of his… Chan. The bedroom door was nearly all the way closed -- Hyunjin had left it wide open. He knocked lightly. No answer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>If the sliver of space between the ground and door was anything to go by, the room beyond was encased in darkness. Hyunjin gulped before pushing through.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>From what he could see, it seemed to be empty. Darkness pressed in from all angles, but Hyunjin could tell that Chan was in there. He walked over to the bed and sat down on his side. At the dip of the mattress, Chan spoke up from within the depths of the duvet. "Go away."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hmm no." Hyunjin tucked himself under the blankets on his side, nearly hissing at the warmth on his frigid body. He stayed there for what seemed like ages, two feet of space and quiet breathing separating him and Chan. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, Chan sighed. "I just want to sleep."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To anyone else, this would be seen as dismissal. Hyunjin frowned and rolled on his side to face Chan beneath the blanket. "Do you want me to get your medication?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"No," he muttered, resolutely staring straight above. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What do you need, Channie?" Hyunjin asked, hesitantly reaching out to slip one of his fingers into Chan's hand. He didn't pull away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I need you to not leave," Chan said, a bitter tone to his voice. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm not going anywhere."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan finally turned his head to look at Hyunjin, and he could see that tears had gathered around his eyes. "Then what was—"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"It's a good song," Hyunjin said through a rather painful laugh. "Plus Minho kinda put me on the spot. Also I'm sorry if I overstepped, using </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> guitar like that… I've just been getting back into acoustic lately. I'll buy my own after the tour."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Chan forced out a watery laugh, though it looked and sounded more like a sob. "It's not his anymore in my eyes, Jin." He gave Hyunjin's much larger hand a reassuring squeeze. "You can have it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Hyunjin smiled for a moment, and tasted something salty on his lips. "Damn," he smiled again, patting down his cheeks, "now you got me crying too, Bang."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I just have that effect on people," Chan said jokingly, reaching out to brush his free hand through Hyunjin's long blonde hair. "Holy fuck you're wet."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"That's what she said."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They dissolved into a mixture of teary laughter and ugly snorting noises. It quickly turned into a competition in which the person with the best Daddy Pig snort got to prank Seungmin on the plane. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of them paid any attention to the rain. Laying beside one another, in their apartment in the city, about to leave on a tour that neither of them could have anticipated at the start of their relationship, the storm couldn't possibly reach them. </span>
</p>
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